Inside Oak Ridge city limits, the City’s Planning and Development Department (formerly Community Development), through its Codes Enforcement staff, issues all building permits and the electrical, plumbing and mechanical trade permits, with applications filed in the CityView portal. A home valued between $100,000 and $500,000 pays $460 plus $3 for each additional $1,000 under the fee schedule effective July 1, 2026. Codes questions go to 865-425-3532.
What requires a permit in Oak Ridge?
The City’s building permit flowchart lists the work that goes through its building permit application:
Building permits
- New buildings, renovations and garages
- Accessory buildings and carports
- Decks and fencing
- Roofs and fireplaces
- Pools and hot tubs
- Demolition
- Disaster repair
- Chicken coops, under the “Keeping of Hens” section of the city code
Other permits in CityView
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical trade permits
- Land disturbance
- Right-of-way work and utilities
- Signs
- Temporary use
- Plats, site plans and zoning requests
Temporary use permits are decided by staff and issued without further action or inspection; every other building permit needs inspections before the job is closed.
Who issues building permits in Oak Ridge?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official permit authority | City of Oak Ridge Planning and Development Department, Codes Enforcement |
| Building Official | Lisa Crumpley, 865-425-3583 |
| Permitting and inspections | 865-425-3532, codes@oakridgetn.gov |
| Planning | 865-425-3531, plandev@oakridgetn.gov |
| Office / location | Municipal Building, 200 South Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Codes Enforcement issues all building permits and enforces the City’s building, housing, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and zoning ordinances. The department also staffs the Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals and the Trade Licensing Board. The State Fire Marshal lists Oak Ridge as exempt from the state residential program, and the city is on the state list of places that run their own electrical inspections. Oak Ridge spans Anderson and Roane counties; the City’s permits cover the whole city, and land outside city limits falls to the county it is in.
Oak Ridge permit types and CityView
The City moved its permits, inspections, code enforcement and planning work online in 2021. To apply, register for a CityView account (email, mailing address, phone and preferred contact method), then choose “Apply for a Building Permit” under Building Department. The same account lets you check status, upload documents, message staff, pay fees online (a surcharge applies) and schedule inspections. A public computer stands in front of the permit desk at the Municipal Building for anyone who wants help, and complete mailed applications are also accepted.
Since December 20, 2024 the department has issued trade permits to applicants holding a valid City of Oak Ridge or State of Tennessee licence for the work. Electrical permits are applied for through the same portal.
Building permit costs and fees in Oak Ridge
The City’s fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 bases building, moving and demolition fees on the value of the work, using the ICC building valuation data for new construction; the City can raise a stated value to match the ICC figures.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Valuation | Residential | Commercial / industrial |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $1,000 | No fee unless inspected; $15 per inspection | No fee unless inspected; $22.50 per inspection |
| $1,000 – $50,000 | Not printed in the residential table | $22.50 plus $7.50 per additional $1,000 |
| $50,000 – $100,000 | $260 plus $4 per additional $1,000 | $390 plus $6 per additional $1,000 |
| $100,000 – $500,000 | $460 plus $3 per additional $1,000 | $690 plus $4.50 per additional $1,000 |
| $500,000 and up | $1,660 plus $2 per additional $1,000 | $2,490 plus $3 per additional $1,000 |
| Moving a building | $100 | $150 |
| Demolition, up to 100,000 cu ft | $50 | $75 |
A house valued at $250,000 pays $460 plus 150 × $3, a building fee of $910. Commercial applications add a plans review fee of half the building fee. A new single-family home, duplex or triplex also pays a $35 land disturbance application fee. Site plan review is $100 for a new site of 2 acres or fewer and $200 above that, and rezoning, variance and special exception applications are $150 each. The City offers permit fee support to non-profit partners on qualifying affordable housing projects under Policy D-210.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
Oak Ridge permits and inspects electrical, plumbing and mechanical work itself, and the contractor must hold a valid City of Oak Ridge or State of Tennessee licence for the trade.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical, issuing each permit | $5 |
| Electrical, each new residential dwelling unit | $25 |
| Electrical, light fixtures, switches and outlets (existing homes and commercial) | $2.50 |
| Plumbing, issuing each permit | $5 |
| Plumbing, new residence up to 3 bathrooms | $40 |
| Plumbing, each fixture, floor drain or trap | $2.50 |
| House sewer / septic tank and drain field | $5 / $10 |
Plans and documents for Oak Ridge applications
Building applications are uploaded in CityView with the documents the permit type needs, and staff run a completeness review and a technical review before deciding. Site work has its own checklists on the City’s Planning Forms & Checklists page: site plans, sketch, preliminary and final plats, resubdivisions, and planned unit and traditional neighborhood development master plans. A land disturbance permit follows either an approved grading plan or an approved site plan, depending on the project, under the City’s separate land disturbance flowchart.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply: 6-step Oak Ridge process
Look up the lot on the City of Oak Ridge zoning map and ordinance.
Create an account; only anonymous code complaints can be filed without one.
Select “Apply for a Building Permit” under Building Department and upload the documents.
Stay in touch with staff through their completeness and technical reviews and resubmit as needed.
Staff send the decision and the fees, which can be paid online with a surcharge.
Book each inspection in CityView or by emailing codes@oakridgetn.gov.
Oak Ridge inspections and closeout
Inspections are requested and scheduled in CityView, where results are posted, or by emailing codes@oakridgetn.gov. Every building permit other than a temporary use permit needs inspections before the process is complete. If a permit is denied, the applicant can fix the problems and resubmit, appeal, or withdraw the application; appeals of building and housing code decisions go to the Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals ($50 for a citizen-initiated appeal).
Local Oak Ridge details
- Codes: the 2024 International Residential, Building, Plumbing and Mechanical Codes, a 2023 electrical code and the 2018 energy code.
- Land disturbance bonds: the City sets erosion control bonds at $6,000 per disturbed acre on slopes under 30% and $15,000 per acre on steeper ground.
- Driveway approaches: curb cuts are charged $120 per foot without a sidewalk and $180 with one.
- Permit activity: the Codes Enforcement page posts monthly building and trade permit reports.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Tennessee statewide rules
Tennessee licenses contractors through the Board for Licensing Contractors for jobs of $25,000 or more; a Home Improvement licence applies below that only in the nine counties that opted in. Tennessee rules
Official Oak Ridge permit resources
- Tennessee residential jurisdiction classification
- Oak Ridge Planning & Development
- Oak Ridge Codes Enforcement
- Oak Ridge CityView portal
- CityView portal FAQs
- Oak Ridge building permits flowchart (PDF)
- Oak Ridge fee schedule effective July 1, 2026 (PDF)
- Oak Ridge planning forms and checklists
Oak Ridge building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Oak Ridge?
The City’s Planning and Development Department, through Codes Enforcement at the Municipal Building, 200 South Tulane Avenue (865-425-3532). Lisa Crumpley is the Building Official.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How do I apply for a permit in Oak Ridge?
Register in the CityView portal and choose “Apply for a Building Permit”. You can also use the public computer at the permit desk or mail a complete application.
How much is a building permit for a house in Oak Ridge?
For a home valued between $100,000 and $500,000, $460 plus $3 for each $1,000 over $100,000; a $250,000 house pays $910, plus trade permits and the $35 land disturbance fee.
Do I need a permit for a fence, deck or roof?
Yes. Fencing, decks and roofs are all on the City’s building permit list.
Does Oak Ridge issue its own electrical permits?
Yes. The City handles electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits for contractors with a valid City of Oak Ridge or Tennessee licence.
How do I schedule an inspection?
In CityView, or by email to codes@oakridgetn.gov.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Oak Ridge permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.